8 replies to this topic

[Miniman-bo]

Hey all,

I have just found a new workshop space so have decided to push ahead with my project mini after failing to shift it off my drive as an unfinished project. The problem I have is that I need to tow it but have no brakes.

I have a solid bar, but cannot seem to find a tow eye that suits a 79 clubby. It seems that a company called MRA used to make one that was slightly longer for the clubman, but after reading around it seems that they have gone into liquidation.

Does anyone know of a place I can buy one from, or better still is anybody in North Essex/Cambridgeshire willing to lend me one for a few days so I can get my poor old girl out of the wet?

[cookie4343]

Smiffys bits sell the ones that look the same as mra ones here on ebay, hope that helps.
http://www.ebay.co.u...-/181706937077?

Edited by cookie4343, 03 April 2015 - 10:13 PM.

[Miniman-bo]

Cheers, I've dropped them a message to see if they'll fit a clubby too. As far as I'm aware there used to be a slightly longer one to account for the deeper nose. Fingers crossed!

[The Principal]

I had the same problem, the standard Mini towing eyes are too short you can only get the first one or two threads on the nut. Have a look at the commercial towing eyes like this - http://www.handystra...081-pr-642.html the other problem i had was the eye collar would foul the front valance so you will need spacers to get the the eye to fit evenly. 

[gazza82]

Check into the legality of towing .. I think the car has to be taxed if any of the wheels are on the ground ... otherwise you are going to need a trailer!

[Miniman-bo]

Good call. Just read it and it most probably counts as a trailer, so will need the correct lights/braking that a normal trailer would. It does not have any brakes! Better not risk a run in with the boys in blue. A fella up the road has a trailer he uses for grass track racing so I will give him a shout and see if he if wouldn't mind giving me a lift. 

 

I ended up ordering a tow eye from Smiffy's on ebay as they said they have sold to clubby owners before without any returns. I will post my results when the bit arrives for anybody who is looking for the same answer as me!

[spiguy]

Not really anything that would help you, but reading this reminded me of one time I got towed 'illegally', thought it might give you a laugh / put you off... I was so skint then that I bought back a very rough mini that I had sold for £50, the guy hadn't done anything with it - I remembered that the subby and radius arms had been in very good nick and I needed a new back end for my daily mini. I couldn't afford to have it towed to my in laws (about 5 miles away) where I was going to strip it for the parts, so I got my friend to tow me at night with a fixed bar onto a towing eye. 

 

I wasn't happy with the towing eye fitment, which I had borrowed of my daily mini, as I couldn't get it very tight, but utterences of "ach, it'll be fine - hurry up we need to go" were given. so we put a battery in the car and I ran with the lights on as it was now dark. Off we set and within about half a mile the guy towing me had got us up to 50 mph on back roads. I was sh!!ting myself, tooting the horn etc and shouting out the window to slow down

 

When we finally arrived I was a wreck. I gave him a piece of my mind, and he informed me that he thought it would look better if anyone saw us if it just looked like I was driving the car! I retrieved the towing eye as I needed to put it back on the daily, it was by this time only held on with about 2 threads! - the nut had backed off during my ordeal!  I shudder to think what would have happened if it had come off, the mini had no brakes, I would have had no way of stopping it!

 

I often think back to that and I am amazed I did that, was very foolish and dangerous. Daft the things you'll do to save money!

Edited by carlukemini, 07 April 2015 - 09:32 PM.

[Miniman-bo]

That's a fantastic tale of caution! I think that is the final nail in the coffin for my solid tow plans, flatbed it is!

[spiguy]

ha ha .. good call